BYSTANDERISM: (also known as the 'bystander effect') a phenomenon that states that people do not intervene or help others in emergency situations. AUDIENCE INHIBITION: in the presence of an audience, we feel afraid to exaggerate or overreact, for fear of misinterpreting the situation. PLURALISTIC IGNORANCE: the act of disagreeing with a norm, but seeing members of a group accept it, therefore assuming that they are correct. FIGHT OR FLIGHT: the response one has to a situation that enduces fear, panic or threat; whether we stay and process information in order to overcome the obstacle or whether we simply leave the situation. ADRENALINE: a hormone secreted in the adrenal glands that can speed up the heart beat. EGOISTIC MOTIVATION: a view that humans perform activities or behaviours that are motivated by self interest, with a benefit to us personally.
Factors affecting bystanderism
Three main factors that affect bystanderism are: - group size - physiological arousal - victim attributes
Group Size The number of people in a group, or group size, has a large effect on bystanderism as it can largely alter the extent to which people show helping behaviour. Latane and Darley proposed a theory in 1970 called, the theory of the unresponsive bystander. In this theory, they suggested that the presence of other people in a situation, where a bystander may need to help, can in fact decrease the level of helping. This is due to diffusion of responsibility – sharing the obligation and accountability means that people choose not to help.
Physiological Arousal The more physiological arousal the less bystanderism. Where we evaluate the consequences of helping or not, where we choose to fight or flight in response to adrenaline. Our heart rate increases, our pupils dilate etc. this is not a pleasant experience therefore subconsciously we do not want to engage in those situations so we choose not to help. Rewards are not easily identified, but their presence does not increase the incentive to help. Costs will vary from situation to situation, but they might include danger, time and effort. There are costs to not intervening, such as a feeling of guilt or potential criticism by others or even self-blame. These costs tend to increase with perceived plight of the victim and when the expected costs of not intervening outweigh the expected costs of intervening.
Victim attributes If the person in need is thought to not be to blame for their need, people are more likely to help as they feel sympathy for the person. Also if the potential helper can identify the person in need they are likely to help them as they can empathise with them (possibly link in kin selection)
The more ‘positive’ the victim’s behaviour, or the more similar the victim looks to the bystander, the less bystanderism.
Discuss the fault/blame of victim due to appearance
Discuss cost benefit analysis due to appearance
Discuss social identity theory, in-groupfavouritism, more likely to help